The 2010 MLS Cup finalists in 2010, FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids meet for the first time this season in a key Western Conference clash Saturday evening at Toyota Stadium. FCD are looking to put an end to an eight-game winless run, falling 2-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend in Frisco. The Rapids hit the road following a second consecutive clean sheet on their home ground, reaching a scoreless draw with the Chicago Fire at midweek.

The teams split their three meetings a season ago, each winning once on their home ground, with the third meeting (in Commerce City) reaching a draw.

Each team won away from home in the series in 2012, for the first time in a while. FC Dallas won at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for the first time since 2007, while the Rapids won in Frisco for the first time since 2008.

The teams did meet in MLS Cup 2010 in Toronto, an own goal in extra time giving the Rapids a 2-1 victory and their first league title.

FC DALLAS
FC Dallas saw their winless streak extended to eight matches, dropping a 2-1 result to the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday evening at Toyota Stadium. FC Dallas sit in fifth place in the Western Conference with 18 points from 15 games.

LAST MATCH

FC Dallas opened the scoring in the 16th minute. After a cross sailed through the area, Fabian Castillo sent a cross back in from the right flank, and Blas Perez hammered home a spectacular volley from the heart of the area.

But the Earthquakes drew level in the 27th minute through a bit of controversy. A corner kick sailed into the box and Steven Lenhart appeared to knock it down with his arm, but the ball fell for Atiba Harris to drive into the goal and it stood for the equalizer.

FC Dallas went a man down in the 33rd minute when Adam Moffat received his second yellow card in the space of eight minutes, getting his marching orders from Jose Carlos Rivero.

The Quakes then hit for the game-winner in the 45th minute when midfielder Jean Baptiste Pierazzi took advantage of space in the midfield to hit a wonder-strike from 35 yards out, a powerful shot sailed past Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz into the top of the goal.

FC Dallas had a great chance to level in first-half stoppage time when Jordan Stewart was called for a foul in the area, leading to a penalty kick for Fabian Castillo. San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch read the attempt and made the save to preserve the lead.

FCD head coach Oscar Pareja made no changes to the team that reached a scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium.

FC Dallas had their winless run extended to eight games in the defeat by San Jose. It’s tied for the fourth longest winless run in the club’s 19-year history; the club record is 13 games, set during the 2012 season.

“There are no excuses for not getting the points. We take full responsibility. I’m very upset, especially with myself and us as a team, not to provide results with the effort, with the energy, with the way we work,” said FCD head coach Oscar Pareja. “We did not provide results and we feel bad for our fans, for the people who support our club because this is business and we need to get results.”

Over the course of the winless run, FC Dallas have not scored more than one goal in any game, and have scored just six times in the eight matches, while conceding 14.

“We’ve put ourselves in this position,” said goalkeeper Chris Seitz. “We know that we have the answers in the locker room and we have to dig ourselves out. We all need to step up and hold ourselves accountable first and foremost and move from there.”

Blas Perez scored his fourth goal of the season, his first since April 19, in opening the scoring.

Ryan Hollingshead made his MLS debut, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute. Hollingshead was a second-round selection in the 2013 SuperDraft (No. 20 overall) out of UCLA.

“I just want to keep playing, and keep making this team better, but still it's sour not getting a win, going down 10 men pretty early in the game,” Hollingshead said. “… You don't want your debut to be a loss, but obviously excited to get on the field, and want to keep getting out there and start scoring goals, start making this team better.”

Fabian Castillo recorded his second assist of the season, his first since April 26. Castillo also saw a penalty kick saved in the first half. Castillo has a goal and an assist over the past four games.

“When a player assumes that [responsibility] and he wants to take [the PK] and you’re his teammate and he wants to take the PK and his teammates allow him, it’s part of the game,” said Pareja. “When you take that opportunity, you take that responsibility as well. So, Fabian and the people who it was assigned to, they know what happened.”

When Adam Moffat was sent off in the first half, it was the sixth red card of the season for FC Dallas, matching Chivas USA for most in MLS this season.

“I am just focusing on my team and how can I get the best of this group. And see if we can finally play another game with 11. That has been a little bit of a challenge,” Pareja said. “I refuse to train with 10. We need to see if on Saturdays we can have the discipline to finish with 11.”

COLORADO RAPIDS
The Colorado Rapids recorded their second consecutive shutout, reaching a scoreless draw with the Chicago Fire on Wednesday evening at at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids are in third place in the Western Conference with 22 points from 14 games.

LAST MATCH

Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson was called upon to make two saves in the match, including a late stop on substiture Deshorn Brown to keep the scores level.

Rapids goalkeeper John Berner, making his first start since the third match of the season, was not required to make a single save.

Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni made eight changes to the team that rolled to a 3-0 win against the Houston Dynamo at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Only center backs Shane O'Neill and Drew Moor and midfielder Nick LaBrocca kept their places.

The Rapids have recorded shutouts in consecutive games for the third time this season, and now have seven defensive clean sheets this season.

“I don’t think we were as clinical as we wanted to be in that final third. In games like this it’s got to be real sharp, and done with a bit more urgency on that final pass and final shot,” said Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni. “Having said that they guys put out a great effort, and we got a clean sheet. The mentality was right, and I think it’s a performance to build on going towards the weekend.”

John Berner made his fourth start of the season in goal, his first since starting the opening three matches of the season. It was his first shutout since a 3-0 win vs. Portland on March 22.

“I think you don’t realize what you have until you give them an opportunity. I think these guys that stepped on the field did a really good job, and did themselves real proud. They worked their tails off, and found ways to get involved in the game,” said Mastroeni. “I think the guys that came in towards the latter part of the game did a great job influencing the game on their terms as well. Overall, it was a good performance.”

Said defender Shane O’Neill: “We were trying to move the ball a bit quicker, and get the ball up the field a bit quicker. Sometimes that worked out, sometimes it worked against us a little bit. I think at the end of the day, the second half was a good performance, we just didn’t find the back of the net. At the end of the day, it was positive to get a point.”

John Neeskens made his Rapids and MLS debut, coming in on the right of midfield, while Charles Eloundou made his first start May 7 on the other flank.

Danny Mwanga and Marlon Hairston formed the strike partnership for the first time since the May 11 3-1 loss to Chivas USA.

“There were a lot of good performances across that midfield and up top as well. It’s a team. They are young guys, but they are experienced in the game of soccer. The most important part is that they are soccer players,” said Mastroeni. “When you say it’s the team, it’s one thing to say it, it’s another thing to show it, and I think tonight those guys showed that they are capable of playing at this level, which brings confidence to the whole group.”

The trip to Frisco is the only away match in a six-game span from May 24-July 4 for the Rapids. They’ve taken seven of a possible nine points to start the swing.

Said O’Neill: “It’s our first Western Conference game in three games. It’ll be a big game for us. I think Oscar [Pareja] does [play a part in the impact of the game]. We do want to go down there and win, to get this win for the club and for ourselves. We have a point to prove, and I think we’re on a high right now, and we’ve just got to bring it down there, all cylinders firing. I think we moved the ball in the second half really well, and if we do that the whole game down in Dallas, I think we’ll get the win.”